Jared Percival: Light Bears Captain previews the U85kg Rugby Championship Final

In what’s becoming an increasingly competitive tournament, the final of the National U85kg Rugby Championship is previewing the All Blacks clash with the Wallabies today at Eden Park. 

The Light Bears, hailing from the HSOB Rugby Club in Christchurch, are in their third consecutibe final, are playing first time finalists Pokeno.  

Jared Percival, Captain of the Light Bears, joined Lesley Murdoch for a chat about their journey to the final.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, it's probably one of the gems that New Zealand
Rugby have introduced into their system. And I'm talking about
the under eighty five kilogram competition that's run throughout the
country and again high school old boys are in the final.
And I guess you're still a skipper, are you, Jared
Percival that it.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Is correctly as a Yeah, it's not a judio want
to relinquish just yet?

Speaker 1 (00:21):
Right? Fair enough? Congratulations, But you've got a bit of
payback from last year, haven't you.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Yeah? We are played Pakanger who beat us in the
final last year in about the eighty seventh minute, and
we beat them pretty convincingly on said day in the
semi final, which was sweet revenge for most of us.

Speaker 1 (00:37):
Oh yeah, well what was it the final last year?
Was it twenty three to twenty two?

Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah, that's correct. The conversion from there on the sideline
beat us pretty much.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
So what's your season been like?

Speaker 2 (00:47):
Yeah, so it starts after our premiere of one stuff
to two and coult Grade. So it starts after that
season and it's just a straight knockout. You've got to
be on your game every week. There's usually a couple
of three week breaks between games. At the same time
time it's exciting and it extends rugby into these nicer
withs so we're not trudging around heavy park and the
freezing cold. So it's a beautiful time for you plan

(01:09):
to be playing rugby and the boys get excited about
turning up, which is which is nice rather than trying
to get out there in the mud and in the
wed So.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
Had your team changed much from last year?

Speaker 2 (01:19):
The back plane is essentially the same, but there are
a few changes in the fords. I guess with a
club like ours and we don't have a genuine under
eighty five kg team, there are a few changes that
go in each year. Some boys might stay in the
club but put on a bit of weight and unavailable
to make it so it does change things up, but

(01:40):
largely the same.

Speaker 1 (01:42):
Do you have any trouble staying at the correct weight?

Speaker 2 (01:44):
No, I'm about as heavy as you get at eighty
three and that's on a heavy week for me. Lesley
someone around at eighty one.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
Hopefull very good looking after yourself, that's like to hear. Yep. Yeah,
Now look last year you played Wellington sky Stadium, this
time as curtain ray to the All versus Australia bidders
Low Cap. You're up in Auckland at Eden Park. I mean,
how cool is that You're getting to go around all
the best stadiums we've got.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
Yeah, it's pretty exciting because you know, we don't get
the opportunity to play at these massive stadiums littlone before
the All Blacks, so some of the boys, that's once
in a lifetime stuff. So in that respect, it is
so exciting for the young guys. You know, what a
great opportunity to play in front of the crowd that hopefully,
you know, if they turn up earlier, it could be
a few thousand they're watching the interview game.

Speaker 1 (02:28):
Oh absolutely. And what do you know about porniky.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
Not a lot to be honest. There's a few boys
who were in the New Zealand team with there could
be more of like an unstructured type, just good individual players.
So hopefully we can sort of break them down throughout
the eighty minutes and get the job done. I would
like to say we're exciting. We have great talent across
the park and we've been building really nicely. I think

(02:51):
each game we've played we've just got better and better.
We've got some very very exciting players, and our teams
throughout the forwards and the back should be one head
to give a spectacle.

Speaker 1 (03:02):
Oh well, I hope it is for you. And then,
of course do you sit back, relax and watch the
All Blacks take on Australia. What are you expecting at
the moment?

Speaker 2 (03:09):
Anyone's guess. With the All Blacks, they probably haven't quite
down their groove yet. Will be sitting back in the stands,
possibly having a few drinks after celebrating a good win.
Watching the All Blacks put on a clinic as well
would be the dream Saturday for us.

Speaker 1 (03:24):
I'm loving the confidence.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
You've got to be. Confidence in this sort of stuff
is lit you. So we are looking forward to a nice,
well looked after terf Eden Park. We know that we're
not going to have to be planned underwater or in
the mud. The footing is going to be pretty pretty ideal.
And we don't know what the weather's going to do,
but that play what's ever in front of us. We
know it's going to be good conditions, brilliant. You know,

(03:48):
we fly up Saturday morning, we get stay the Saturday night,
so it's not a turnaround like most other weekends. They'll
be naming in New Zealand side pretty soon after the final.
It might your week or so after that, and potentially
that's back to Sri Lanka again next year as well,
but that's still in the works. I believe.

Speaker 1 (04:08):
Gosh, that's exciting. I mean, you had a great time
over there, didn't you.

Speaker 2 (04:11):
Oh exceptional. You know, the boys who are lucky enough
to go over there is genuinely once in a lifetime experience.
From the moment we landed, we were treated like absolute
royalty until we left. They were very very welcoming hospital
and everything and through their beautiful country, beautiful people. So
that's another trip that hopefully we'll be lucky enough to
get back on.

Speaker 1 (04:31):
Go well, I know you'll go hard and the occasion
is befitting a big finale, and let's just hope it's
a super Saturday for not only you but the All
Blacks as well.

Speaker 2 (04:40):
Absolutely yeah, you're able to put a super sad day
live beers an All Blacks double yep.

Speaker 1 (04:45):
Keep kicking boots on, Jared.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
Pa I think they'll be on.

Speaker 1 (04:50):
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Speaker 2 (04:54):
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